I'm curious about the best way to sharpen woodcarving knives, especially with a Spyderco Sharpmaker. Are these knives typically convex-ground? Is the 40° angle setting on the Sharpmaker suitable for them? I've heard that woodcarving knives often have a secondary bevel closer to 30°. I really want to restore some old knives to a very sharp edge, but I also want to respect the manufacturer's original edge angle. By the way, I'm not sure what brand my knives are.
3 Answers
Woodcarving knives typically have convex, full flat, or Scandi grinds and often lack secondary bevels. Most sharpening systems don’t go as low as the angles needed for these types of knives, usually around 10-13 degrees. That's why hand sharpening tends to work better—you’re only lifting the blade a tiny bit. If you're using the Sharpmaker, just make sure to freehand it carefully!
The Sharpmaker is designed for standard knife angles, which might not suit woodcarving knives well. For softer woods like Basswood, you'd usually want a combined edge angle of about 22 to 24 degrees—so 11 to 12 degrees per side. Instead of the Sharpmaker, you might have better luck with a ceramic stone that's laid flat for sharpening. Also, check out the Sharpener's Edge for a versatile angle range; it really creates a nice edge!
Yeah, but the Sharpmaker does let you lay the ceramics flat, which could work if you freehand it. Just keep your angles steady!